1. Field
The present embodiment relates to a surface-shape sensor and a method of manufacturing the surface-shape sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Biometrics is a way of identity verification using physical characteristics, and is a security technology to protect banking cards and electronic money from unauthorized use. As the society today has become more and more information-oriented, biometrics authentication technologies have been put into practical use. Palm-vein-pattern authentication and voiceprint authentication are examples of biometrics authentication technologies, but above all, fingerprint authentication, a biometrics technology using fingerprints, has been studied a lot thus far.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 61-221883 discloses an optical fingerprint matching technology using a reflect light produced when a fingerprint is lit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 5-61965 discloses a fingerprint matching technology in which a piezoelectric thin film is used for reading the difference in stress produced by the ridge and valley on the surface of finger, i.e. fingerprint.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7-168930 discloses a finger print matching technology using a pressure-sensitive sheet. This sensing technology is based on changes in resistance or in capacitance produced when a finger touches the sheet.
Apart from the technologies mentioned above, technologies related to the present application is disclosed in: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2005-159333, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2005-326167, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2000-213908.